Morocco Advances Amazigh Language Officialization, Challenges Remain

By announcing on January 10 the launch of its action plan to concretize the officialization of Amazigh during a ceremony organized by the Ministry of Digital Transition in partnership with the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (IRCAM) in Khémisset, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch displayed the willingness of his team to give a boost to this project. "Thanks to the efforts of the current government, we are witnessing manifestations of the perpetuation of the activation of the official character of Amazigh as stipulated in the 2011 constitution, in line with the voluntary vision of the king," he said. To concretize this project that Moroccans are calling for with all their might, the government has developed a strategy focused on 25 projects covering both the administration and public services, education, justice, culture or even the audiovisual press.

Interviewed by the Arabic-language daily Assabah, a civil society actor welcomed the announcements made by the Prime Minister. Recalling that it has been more than 20 years since a royal decree formalized the creation and organization of an institute dedicated to Amazigh culture (the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture, editor’s note), more than 10 years since the 2011 Constitution officialized Amazigh and that the law officializing Amazigh dates back five years, he calls on the current government not to forget the need to organize a national debate on the issues related to this vast project, during which the different strategies that are necessary for the strengthening of the use of this language can be designed and implemented.